Local SEO Optimization For those of you who run a business, of course local SEO is a term that is familiar to your ears. Because, this is an effort to optimize business by maximizing search engine optimization (SEO). The goal is to make businesses easier to find, especially in a nearby or local area. However, unfortunately not all business people optimize this one trick to maximize marketing strategies. In fact, local SEO optimization has been proven to be able to drive the business branding process, even indirectly becoming one of the most effective marketing campaigns. Especially in the era of digital transformation or business digitization as it is now.
Where the majority of business people use the internet and social media as marketing/promotion channels to attract more leads or potential customers. Likewise with the majority of customers who prefer to find information about the products or services they need via the internet. Therefore, optimizing local SEO is a surefire step to increase your brand awareness and business visibility in the eyes of prospects. Especially in the surrounding area. As a result, opportunities to acquire customers in the local area and even to acquire loyal customers will be even more wide open. So, how do you optimize it?
What is Local SEO?
Launching from Semrush, local SEO is an effort to optimize search engine optimization (SEO) for businesses, so businesses can get the highest ranking in local searches on the SERP (search engine result page). As with the function of the website’s SEO structure, this local SEO search also aims to increase the visibility of your business among leads or potential customers. Because as a user, someone tends to prefer to search for something on Google, whether it’s a product or service. For example, a user wants to find the nearest restaurant via Google. Then Google will automatically display any restaurants that are located near the user. This is why, you need to maximize local SEO as a lead magnet to get more potential customers.
Likewise with the search for services that sometimes require a specific location. For example, a user is looking for bag repair services in the Surabaya area. So, maybe he will enter the keyword “Surabaya bag repair service”. Thus, these local SEO optimization tricks will be very effective in maximizing your business on the internet.
Why Optimizing Local SEO?
As explained above, local SEO optimization is a business strategy that will be very profitable. Mainly to attract customers in the surrounding area. In fact, according to data from the Search Engine Journal, 50% of people do local searches to find the nearest business address. Not only that. Around 78% of local searches are proven to influence purchasing decisions or offline consumer decision making. That is, indirectly this local SEO optimization is one of the key factors that will encourage the development of your business in the surrounding area. Just imagine. If you don’t maximize local SEO, then users will certainly find it difficult to find your business. As a result, business growth will be hampered. In addition, other benefits that businesses will get by optimizing local SEO include:
- Increase profitability and sales growth from local customers
- Encourage customer loyalty
- Increase business visibility
- Open opportunities to expand the reach of a wider market share
- Help grow the business
- Increase the number of lead conversions in the local area
Local SEO Optimization Guide
After knowing the importance of local SEO optimization for business, how do you implement it? Check out the guide below:
1. Optimizing Google My Business
The main thing you have to do is optimize Google My Business or Google Business Profile. Because, if you want your business to be “seen” online, then make sure you register it on Google My Business. That way, your business can be detected by search pages and Google Maps. In order to register your business on Google My Business, there are a few steps you need to take.
First, not Google My Business then register your business. Then complete the business profile by filling in some information such as name, category, product, logo, and so on. This profile will later be displayed by Google when a user searches for it. To be more optimal, list your website on Google My Business.
2. Make Sure Your Website is Mobile-Friendly
We cannot deny that nowadays the majority of people prefer to use mobile devices to search. Therefore, make sure your website is mobile friendly or friendly for use by mobile users. Launching from thenextscoop, there are more than 3.8 billion mobile device users worldwide in 2021. Of these, 61% of people prefer to search for businesses and products via mobile devices. In addition, there are more than 85% of people who expect that the company’s mobile website should be as good as the desktop website. This data certainly shows how important a mobile friendly website is. To check whether your website is friendly to mobile device users or not, you can use a tool like Google Mobile-Friendly. Through this tool, you will get insights about what needs to be improved if your website is not yet mobile-friendly.
3. Creating Local Content
Content marketing is indeed a type of marketing strategy that has a significant impact on business. Including local content which also has a big influence on local SEO optimization. Local content itself is content about the city or area where you are currently running a business. For example, you have a business niche in the field of traveling that operates in Surabaya. Then you can create local content about the city, for example recommendations for good food in Surabaya, interesting and famous tourist sites, and so on. Hubspot said that this local control will help facilitate the customer segmentation process. Especially those in the local area. This is a local SEO optimization guide that you can try to optimize your business. In essence, this is the type of SEO that will be very influential for developing a business. Especially in the digital era as it is now.